Reading John Tanner’s letter regarding the English Defence League march (April 7), I was not surprised at the usual Labour response of ‘if you don’t agree with it, ban it’.

If Oxford is united and tolerant then we should, be it sometimes reluctantly, allow people to demonstrate if they can muster the numbers to take part and organise such an event.

It was regretful however that rate-paying businesses lost income as a result of it, though this was as much due to Unite Against Fascism holding its own counter demonstration.

I am sure that both organisations contain a few fairly obnoxious characters from both extremes of the political divide.

However we do live in a country of free speech so I’m told. Or are Labour about to ban that as well?

STUART GILES
Woodstock Road
Oxford